Lake Worth Playhouse to Present HAIRSPRAY, 7/5

The Lake Worth Playhouse is thrilled to preview our 60th season with the sensational HAIRSPRAY, a musical that soars with fabulous music and choreography sure to leave you swinging like the 60's!

This Tony-Award Winning, critically acclaimed Broadway musical is loads of fun with its 1960's-style dance music, rhythm and blues, eccentric characters, and most importantly, style.

Synopsis

Hairspray sweeps you away to 1960's Baltimore where the 50's are out and change is in the air! Loveable plus-size heroine, Tracy, has a passion for dancing, and wins a spot on the local TV dance program. Overnight she finds herself transformed from an outsider to teen celebrity. Can a larger-than-life adolescent somehow manage to vanquish the program's reigning princess, integrate the television show, and find true love all without mussing her hair?

With more than 30 actors in this production, Hairspray features many South Florida theatre and Lake Worth Playhouse favorites including: Ashley Rodriguez (Mimi, Rent) as Amber, John Costanzo (Muscnik, Little Shop of Horrors) as Edna, Nikki Bradley (Mama Morton, Chicago) as Motormouth, and Dominic Servidio (Dentist, Little Shop of Horrors & Rooster, Annie) as Link among many other frequent Playhouse faces.

Also featured is Fednike Nazistene (Dynamite). Fednike began acting as a child in The Playhouse's Outreach Program for underserved youth in the Lake Worth community. Through this outreach initiative, Fednike developed a love for theatre and the arts and is now returning to our stage as a seasoned and talented performer.

The original production of Hairspray opened at the Neil Simon Theatre on August 15, 2002. The production was originally directed by Jack O'Brian, with choreography by Jerry Mitchell. The production went on to win eigth Tony Awards, of its twelve nominations, including, Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and many more. It also won several Drama Desk Awards, including Best Musical and Outstanding Music among many others. The production ran on Broadway for 2,642 shows, or the equivalent of 6 years. It opened on London's West End at the Shaftesbury Theatre on October 11, 2007, where it later won eleven Oliver Awards.

The original leads of Tracy and Edna, were played by Marissa Jaret Winokur and Harvey Fierstein respectively; both went on to win Tony Awards for their performances. Also, Matthew Morrison, the popular Glee star, originated the role of Link Larkin in the original production.

In 2007, Hairspray, the musical, was made into a movie, with famous actors, such as John Travolta as Edna, Queen Latifah as Motormouth, and Michelle Pfeifer as Velma Von Tussle.

Evening and Matinee Performances will run July 5– 29 at 8pm and 2pm. ($26 & $30) Dinner & Show Night is July 5 and includes a 6:00 p.m. pre-show dinner at Paradiso, an upscale Italian

restaurant in downtown Lake Worth, prior to the 8:00 p.m. performance. The all-inclusive dinner/show package price is $55 and includes a three-course meal and premium seats for the preview performance.

Tickets can be purchased through the Lake Worth Playhouse Box Office at 561-586-6410 or online at lakeworthplayhouse.org.

Location

Lake Worth Playhouse is located at 713 Lake Ave in Downtown Lake Worth. Valet Parking is available for $5. Street and lot parking is also available.

ABOUT LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE

Lake Worth Playhouse is a non-profit community theatre with a diverse array of offerings, including award-winning dramas, comedies, musicals, area premieres, Broadway favorites, children's shows, ballets and operas on film, live concerts, improv comedy and alternative programming. In addition to its main stage theatrical fare, The Playhouse presents year-round independent and foreign films in the Stonzek Theatre, an intimate black-box style theatre equipped with a large viewing screen and high-definition projection. The Playhouse is proud to offer a variety of educational programs for adults and children, as well as community outreach initiatives that bring cultural programs into the neighborhoods of underserved youth and also make theatre available free of charge for disadvantaged citizens in the community.